My (almost) 8 week old daughter is looking up at me with the most beautiful dark blue eyes, a chubby smile, and she's softly cooing to herself, assuring me that all is right in her world. If I were to pick her up right now, I know she'd bury her face into my chest, pull her little legs up, and snuggle into me for a nice nap. She is a snuggle bug for sure, and I love being her Momma. Why wouldn't I love her? She's so easy to love!
Easy to love...
This is a topic I've been thinking a lot about the last couple of days, and I'm now convinced God is convicting me of it, so I best pay attention.
There are a lot of things in life that are easy for me to love. I love my husband, he is gentle and sweet and funny. He is good for my heart, he is easy to love. I also love our daughters, and crazily enough, even the antics they bring to my life. With all of the joy, laughter, silliness, and sweetness, they are easy to love. And then there are my friends, of course. We have so much in common with each other, priceless years together, of course they're easy to love, I wouldn't trade them for the world!
But what about the people in our lives who are not easy to love? What about that co-worker who lied to the boss about you, or the neighbor who does all he can to make noise late into the night? What about the Mother-in-law who thinks you aren't good enough, or the lady at the bank who is always a grouch? What about that women who you see yourself in competition with, or that man who seems to have it all? Are these people easy to love?
As Christians, we are called to love one another, but what about those people who seem so unlovable? How do we love them?
"But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil." Luke 6:35
"But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." Matthew 5:44
"By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:35
I get it God. You want me to love.
I confessed my unlove to my girlfriend yesterday. I said: "B, I've never struggled with anything like this before. All the things God has told me to do in the past, I was ok doing. I didn't have any trouble with not murdering someone, not getting drunk, not sleeping around, not stealing from others...but this loving the unlovable? I just don't have that kind of grace!" I cried on her shoulder, ashamed of myself, disappointed in my failure to God.
But then I heard a whisper in my heart: "My power is made perfect in weakness." Right there in my failure, God met me, and reminded me of this verse:
"But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." 2 Corinthians 12:9
In my weakness, I was met by my powerful Savior, and in my failure, I was reminded that it's only by His strength that I'm able to do anything at all.
It's amazing, isn't it, to think that WE, ugly, lost, prideful sinners, are loved by a beautiful, forgiving, gracious God? He came to earth, humbled Himself, and died for us, the ugly unlovable. Will He not help us then, to love those around us? Is His love not sufficient then, to sink into the coldest of hearts?
.
May we learn today to rest in God's strength, whatever our struggle may be. And may we look to the "unlovables" around us, and extend them love today.
Easy to love...
This is a topic I've been thinking a lot about the last couple of days, and I'm now convinced God is convicting me of it, so I best pay attention.
There are a lot of things in life that are easy for me to love. I love my husband, he is gentle and sweet and funny. He is good for my heart, he is easy to love. I also love our daughters, and crazily enough, even the antics they bring to my life. With all of the joy, laughter, silliness, and sweetness, they are easy to love. And then there are my friends, of course. We have so much in common with each other, priceless years together, of course they're easy to love, I wouldn't trade them for the world!
But what about the people in our lives who are not easy to love? What about that co-worker who lied to the boss about you, or the neighbor who does all he can to make noise late into the night? What about the Mother-in-law who thinks you aren't good enough, or the lady at the bank who is always a grouch? What about that women who you see yourself in competition with, or that man who seems to have it all? Are these people easy to love?
As Christians, we are called to love one another, but what about those people who seem so unlovable? How do we love them?
"But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil." Luke 6:35
"But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." Matthew 5:44
"By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:35
I get it God. You want me to love.
I confessed my unlove to my girlfriend yesterday. I said: "B, I've never struggled with anything like this before. All the things God has told me to do in the past, I was ok doing. I didn't have any trouble with not murdering someone, not getting drunk, not sleeping around, not stealing from others...but this loving the unlovable? I just don't have that kind of grace!" I cried on her shoulder, ashamed of myself, disappointed in my failure to God.
But then I heard a whisper in my heart: "My power is made perfect in weakness." Right there in my failure, God met me, and reminded me of this verse:
"But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." 2 Corinthians 12:9
In my weakness, I was met by my powerful Savior, and in my failure, I was reminded that it's only by His strength that I'm able to do anything at all.
It's amazing, isn't it, to think that WE, ugly, lost, prideful sinners, are loved by a beautiful, forgiving, gracious God? He came to earth, humbled Himself, and died for us, the ugly unlovable. Will He not help us then, to love those around us? Is His love not sufficient then, to sink into the coldest of hearts?
.
May we learn today to rest in God's strength, whatever our struggle may be. And may we look to the "unlovables" around us, and extend them love today.
Thank you, Michelle.
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